Trailer-truck for locomotives.



C. T WESTLAKE.

TRAILER TRUCK FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1914.

1,129,930. Patented Mar.2,1915

Wye/11W. Mfnessea 14; Ufa/MW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES '1. WESTLAKE, OF ST. LOUIS, IMISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO COMMONWEALTHSTE-EL COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORFORATION O1 Nil-XV JERSEY.

TRAILER-TRUCK FOR LOCOMCTIVES.

Application filed October 24, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l CHAllLl-Ir; T. lVEs'r-LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at city of St. Louis,State of Missouri, have 5 invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Trailer-Trucks for Locomotives, of which the following is a full,clear, and ex act description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view of a locomotivet ailer truck of myimproved construction.

l ig. l an enlarged plan view of the for ward end of the truck frame andshowing the sliding; pivotal connection,between said truck frame and thelocomotive frame. Fig. 3 a. cross section taken approtmnately on theline 3? of Fig. Z.

This invention relates generally to trailer truck frames for locomotivesof the type shown in Patent No. 9520,7655, issued to me rhig'ust 3,1909, and No. HD9370, i sued June f), 1914, and more particularly to theconnection between the trailer truck and the locomotive frame.

In connecting trailer truck frames of the class to which may inventionrelates, to the locomotive frames, it is essential that the axis aboutwhich the truck radiates, be in direct transverse alinement with thespring hanger bearings at the forward end of the truck frame, but owingto the peculiar contour of the locomotive frame. it'is not alwaysfeasible to locate the truck frame member in which the pivot bearinglocated atthe desired point, or in 'alincment with said s n-in; hangerbearings and it is the prin- 40 cipal object of my invention to providea bearing between the forward portion of the truck frame and thelocomotive frame. which bearing while located to the rear of thetransverse line occupied by the spring hangers is constructed so as tocause the truck frame to radiate about an axis located between and inalincmcnt with the spring hanger hearings. In constructions of thischaracter the clearance between the spring hangers and the engine frameis very limited and permits of but slight transverse movement of saidhanger" so that it is essential that such transverse movement be reducedto a minimum. This I accomplish Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Serial No. 883.420.

by locating the axis for the trailer truck at a point in alinei'nontwith said spring hangers and at the same time maintaining the actualbear ng bctwce the truck .rame and the engine frame at a point to therear of the transverse line occup ed by said spring hang rs and. axis.

Till: the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists'incertain novel features of construction and arrangenient of partshereinafter more fully described and claimed. I

7. shown in the drawings, in) improved trailer truck frame comprises apair of side members 10 and a rear rail or member ll, said parts beingpreferably castintcgral and having formed thereon various brackets andt-lates; adapted to receive parts which are uczessaril a. 'ociated withthe truck frame. The. forward rticn of the side members 10 converge andare united by a transversi disposed member if), lli same being located ashort distance to t '2 rear of the extreme Forward ends of said arms 10.The forward ends of the side rails 10 are provided in. their under-sideswith notches or recesses 13) which some as hearings for keys carried bythe lower ends of spring hangers ll. As h; cinhefore stated, thetransverse movement of the lower ends of these spring hangis vervlimitedb reason of the proximity of the locomotive frame, aneL-thcre for it isdesirable that the trailer frame be con ectcd to the locomotive f 'ameso as to swin about an axis located heween and in alinoment with thespring hai gers, and thus, as the rear portion of said trailer truckframe swing; from side to side, the lower ends of the spii'ing hangers.which are con nected to the forward end of the truck frame will swingthrough arcs which are in effect parallel with a line drawn through theion I udinal axis of the truck frame. To provide a connection liietweenthe truck frame and thelocomotive frame which will bring about thisparticular movement, I havev provided the cross icce 12 between theforward portions of theside rails 10, said cross piece being: at a pointwhere a con cnient connection can he made with the locomotive frame.Formed in this cross piece is a. transversely disposed arciiate slot oropening 15, the same being concentric with point X which is in alinementwith and half way between the spring hanger bearings 13. Arranged toslide freely through. this arcuate slot or opening and having a grooveand slot connection with the edges thereof is a twopart block 16 inwhich is loosely mounted a bearing ring 17. The edge of this ring isrounded so that itwill rock freely in the block 16, and formed throughsaid bearing ring is an opening 18 adapted to receive a pin 19, whichlatter is seated in a transverse member 20 of the locomotive frame. Bysuch construction, the block 16 is virtually a part of the locomotiveframe, and by reason of the curvature of the opening 15, said truckframe will be constrained to swin radially about the point X as an axis,an consequently, the transverse movement of the lower ends of the springhangers will be reduced to a minimum.

A trailer truck frame of my improved construction is comparativelysimple, can be easily and cheaply manufactured, can be readily combinedwith ordinary forms of locomotive frames without necessitating extensivechanges, and while the connection between the truck f ame and locomotiveframe is at a point substantially to the rear of the for wardend of saidtruck frame, the lateral swing of the spring hangers which support theextreme forward end of the truck frame is reduced to a minimum.

ltv'ill be readily understood that minor changes in the ise, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved trailer truck frame canbe made and substitute for those herein shown and described, with outdeparting from the spirit ofmy invention, the scope of which isset'forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A trailer truck frame pivoted near one of its ends to t. e main frameof the locomotive and susceptible of side movement at the opposite end,the sides of said truck frame extending beyond the pivot bearing pinseated in said block and in a part of the locomotive frame.

3. The combination with a locomotive frame, of a trailer truck frame,the forward end of which is supported by spring hangers, a transverselymovable bearing block mounted on the truckframe to the rear of thespring hangers, and a pivot pin seated in said bearing block and aportion of the locomotive frame.

4. The combination with a locomotive frame, of a trailer truck frame,spring hangers supporting the forward end of said truck frame, and asliding pivotal connection between the truck frame and locomotive frame,which connection is formed so as to constrain the truck frame to swingabout a point in transverse alinement with the spring hangers.

5. A trailer truck frame provided at its forward end with spring hangerbearings, a transverse member on the frame to the rear of the sidebearings, and a pivot bearing block mounted for sliding movement on saidtransverse member, which block is adapted to receive a pivot pin seatedin a fixed part of the locomotive frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature n the presence of twowitnesses,

this 12th day of October, 1914.

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE.

W'itnesses:

HAL C. BELLVILLE, OTTO V. MYERS.

